Soccer Coaching Tips And Tricks

How To Coach Soccer Even If You Don't Play

So you zealously signed up at the volunteer table to coach your child’s soccer team, and now you’ve just been handed your team roster – now what?

Soccer coaching for young children doesn’t have to be a scary proposition, even if you don’t have much experience handling a ball. Many of the best soccer coaches around learned “on the job.” The qualities you do need are enthusiasm, time to prepare and a willingness to learn. All of the other elements of good soccer coaching can be taught. And the benefits are terrific: coaching kids soccer is a great way to get outdoors, get a little exercise and spend quality time with your child.

Getting StartedThe first thing you’ll want to do is brush up on the basic rules of the game and enlist a little help. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Review your club’s rules – You’ll want to learn or brush up on what rules your division follows, because they can vary from club to club.

Scan some coaching websites – There are many websites that have great soccer coaching tips and are usually geared toward beginners. Try soccer-for-parents.com or fundamentalsoccer.com.

Get a chance to view some drills – It is often easier to see soccer drills rather than read about them, so invest in a few DVDs that show how to coach soccer.

Take advantage of any preseason coaching lessons – Many soccer clubs have coach training available before the season starts, either for free or for a very small fee. Even if you feel you know the game, these training sessions can help with practice-drill ideas or tips for difficult situations.

Enlist some helpers. Enlist any knowledgeable parents on your team as assistant coaches. Many parents don’t volunteer to coach because of work schedules or other commitments, but most are more than happy to help out with a few drills or practice from time to time.

Have a Preseason Get-TogetherBefore your first practice, it’s a good idea to have a pre-season get together for the kids and parents so that everyone can meet and talk in a stress-free setting. You don’t need to make this fancy – an afternoon meeting at a local park or even in your back yard can be fun and informal. You’ll get to meet the kids and learn their names. Ask for volunteers at this time, and be sure to identify a team parent who can help with the snack schedule, phone lists and any donations that are necessary. You are the coach – don’t take on extra work. At this meeting, you should introduce yourself and explain your coaching strategy. Many recreational soccer organizations provide handouts or even contracts that list appropriate parental behavior. Be sure everyone agrees to these rules.

Gather the Right EquipmentYou won’t need these items for the preseason get-together, but before your first official practice you will need:

One soccer ball per player. Ask each player to bring one that is the appropriate size for their league level, but you should have extras on hand just in case.

Small cones or discs to mark out game fields

Vests for scrimmages and games. You can buy these online rather inexpensively, or make your own with white T-shirts that have the sleeves cut off and the bottoms cut short.

A whistle

A stopwatch or timer

A gym bag to carry it all

Tips for Great PracticesWhether you are coaching girl’s soccer or boy’s soccer, there are a few techniques that work well:

Avoid soccer drills that use lines or elimination of players. You don’t want to waste players’ practice time by waiting in a line for their turn. Devise practice methods so that they can all get out there and get their feet on the ball. Instead of having them line up to dribble the ball through cones, set up a cone obstacle course that they can all run through at the same time. Practice games that involve elimination of players who “lose” often result in the players that need the most work sitting on the sidelines rather than practicing.

Sandwich your corrections with compliments: “That was great hustle. Next time, try to look up when you dribble. I liked your passing.”

Write down your practice games ahead of time, and allow a set number of minutes for each. This will keep the kids from getting bored.

Try to work on only one or two skills per practice. This will keep kids focused and allow them to work on something specific that week at home.

Get to the field early and set up the cones for the first two games. This will make you look in charge and eliminate down time.

If you scrimmage, have small teams of three or four so everyone has a chance for some ball time.

Be flexible. If a drill isn’t working, change it to something else.

Don’t compare kids to each other. The goal is for each child to improve his or her own game, not feel bad about keeping up with some of the others.

Plan Some Fun Practice GamesMany coaches prefer practice games to drills so players can learn speed as they are learning skills. There are hundreds of different practice games you can learn. Here are two favorites that work well with younger kids:

Driving the Ball game – Set up a large field using the cones. You are the announcer. Show the kids some basic skills: “Go” means dribble the ball as fast as you can. “Stop” means to stop the ball with the bottom of the foot. “Right” means to push the ball and dribble right. “Left” means to do the same thing to the left. “Back up” means to stop the ball with the bottom of the foot, push it backward and then go in the opposite direction. Have all of the kids on the field with their balls as you call out instructions. Make sure they are looking up from the ground to avoid “collisions.”

Dribble Grid game – Players line up in a big square with two or three players to a side. At the word “go,” they all dribble to the other side, turn the ball and dribble back. They must keep their eyes up to avoid the players coming in the opposite direction. Do this for a specified number of times – eight or ten times across the field is fine.

Make Things Clear With ParentsSometimes the hardest things to deal with in soccer coaching are the parents. Parents who want their player to be a star can be difficult to control when you are trying to give each player some time on the field. Try to emphasize at your first meeting that this team is about learning skills and having fun – winning a few games is a nice bonus, but it is not the goal. Make sure everyone acknowledges the rules about shouting from the sidelines or interfering with coaching and don’t be afraid to take an unruly parent aside and ask him or her to adjust the cheering style. If that fails, most referees will be glad to step in and handle parents who are inappropriate during the game. Remember that you are the coach, and if another parent wanted to run the team, he or she should have volunteered. Most parents are ready to help and glad to see their children on the field and having fun.

Whether you are an old pro at soccer or have rarely dribbled a ball in your life, you can be a great soccer coach either way. It is most important to be enthusiastic and encouraging to the kids, and make sure they are having fun so they will stay interested in the sport. The rewards, too, are great: Your own child will love having you coach the team, and it can be very rewarding watching new players score their first goals, knowing that you helped her learn those skills.

What Is Your Parenting Style?Whether you are a new or seasoned parent, your parenting style is probably based upon those of your parents, with a tendency to lean more toward one than the other. Do you actively seek out parenting advice or are you annoyed when others have the audacity to offer it to you? Take this parenting style quiz to determine whether your style is permissive or authoritative when it comes to handling the children.

Lifescript.com is now a part of Everyday Health, Inc., and will continue to provide its users with great content and communications through EverydayHealth.com. Please note, Lifescript.com will soon redirect to EverydayHealth.com.